Last week we touched on the importance of a healthy Michael Vick to the Philadelphia Eagles and the need for him to learn how to slide rather than take a hard hit.
President Barack Obama reaffirmed that necessity when he told Eagles cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha to tell his quarterback to slide at a fundraiser in Oakland on Monday. Asomugha told CSNPhilly.com’s Andy Schwartz:
“He told me to tell Vick to slide. We talked about football for about three or four minutes. The one thing that stuck out — tell Vick to slide. He’s a big fan.”
Apparently Eagles fans, coaches and teammates are not the only ones worried about Vick’s health in 2012.
The Eagles gunslinger has noted these concerns and promises that he will take strides to ensure he stays on the field. Of course, that is easier said than done for a quarterback that has played all 16 regular season games just once in his NFL career—six years ago.
Vick, 32, is getting older and the body does not like to take as much punishment as it did when the superstar athlete entered the league in 2001. Despite this reality, Vick continues to play as hard—and as dangerously as he has in NFL career. He continues to be the most prolific scrambling quarterback, but must settle for one yard less and heed the President’s warning—SLIDE!
Vick tweeted in compliance with President Obama’s orders:
If the President of the U.S is saying I need to slide then I really need to start sliding. Lol. Thanks Mr. President!
— Mike Vick (@MikeVick) July 25, 2012
He reassured his fans once again during today’s practice, via the Eagles Insider Twitter page:
Mike Vick (@MikeVick) on Obama’s heed to slide: “I’m sliding! If the President of the United States says slide, I’m sliding. Trust me.”
— Eagles Insider (@EaglesInsider) July 26, 2012
And Vick will slide. That is, assuming he wishes to stay healthy and help guide the Eagles back to the playoffs for the fourth time in five seasons. The Eagles need their quarterback, and their season hinges on his presence and production on the gridiron.
Louis Musto writes on the NFC East, NFL in general and pop culture at GridironGrit.com. Follow @LouisMusto and @GridironGrit on Twitter!
